How to Select a Career/College Major
by Carla Meyer
This information was given to BHS seniors at the September meeting. Parents may find it useful as well.
1. Look at the majors offered at the college you select. Choose one that matches your career plan (for example, education if you plan to be a teacher; engineering if you plan to be a civil, mechanical, architectural, industrial, petroleum, or electrical engineer; business if you plan to study accounting, finance, marketing or banking).
2. Decide if a two your or four year college best fits your needs. there are accounting programs at two year/community colleges that are more streamlined than a four-year business degree and there are electronics/electromechanical programs at a technical school/community college that are a more direct route to a job than a four year engineering degree.
3. If you have not yet determined a career plan, take one or more career planning interest tests to help you decide.
a. Look at your tenth grade PLAN test results--what career interest areas were highest?
b. Look at the ASVAB (eleventh grade) test results. Which career areas were highest ?
c. Take the Nebraska Career Cluster Interest Inventory (will be given to ninth graders in English and social studies classes this fall); look at the career brochures/video clips on the career areas (clusters) that interest you most.
d. Go to one of these BHS career websites and log on. Look at career information and take interest inventories:
www.careercruising.com http://necis.intocareers.org
user name: beatricehs user name: 07beaths
password: orange password: H0026 (use zero's)
e. Check out one of these websites for more career help:
www.collegeboard.com (ten hottest careers, fastest growing jobs, and links to
SAT and PSAT programs)
www.act.org/path/parent/career (information for parent to help your child choose a
career with links to ACT and PLAN programs)
www.bls.gov/oco
to access the Occupational Outlook Handbook (excellent information about
all aspects of a career prepared and updated by Dept. of Labor)
http://possibilities.unl.edu/
undecided about a college major? this may help
www.career clusters.org
new state information about career fields and clusters
